Laurel Hill Cemetery: The Underground Museum

Thomas Sully (1783-1872), one of America's most famous portrait painters, immigrated to the U.S. from England as a child. In 1799, Sully joined his brother, a miniaturist painter, in Virginia where his talent eventually evolved to portraiture. After his brother's death in 1804, Sully married his widow and relocated the family to New York. From there, he moved to Philadelphia, where he would reside for the remainder of his life. Sully quickly became the city's leading portrait painter, his talents affording him international acclaim. He was commissioned to paint notables such as Queen Victoria, John Quincy Adams and the Marquis de Lafayette. Although primarily a portraitist, Sully also produced many renowned historical masterpieces, such as Washington's Passage of the Delaware. Today, his works can be found in institutions such as the National Gallery of Art, the PA Academy of Fine Arts and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He now rests at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.